Washington (CNN) - For the second straight day, a new national poll indicates that a solid majority of Americans oppose the health care bill that Democrats are pushing through the Senate.

According to a Quinnipiac University survey released Tuesday morning, 53 percent of the public disapproves of the proposed changes, with 36 percent supporting the bill.

That follows a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll released Monday that indicated 42 percent favor the Senate Democrats' legislation, with 56 percent opposed.

Both surveys were conducted last week through Sunday, as Senate Democrats were negotiating a final health care bill, but before a crucial party-line vote early Monday morning to end debate, a huge hurdle to eventual passage of the legislation that the Democrats successfully were able to jump.

According to the Quinnipiac poll, Americans by an 18-point margin disapprove of the job President Barack Obama's doing on health care.

"As President Barack Obama's numbers on health care have declined so has his margin over Republicans on whom American voters trust most on the issue," says Peter Brown, Assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "In July he enjoyed a 20-point edge on the trust question, and that margin has been narrowing, to 45 – 40 percent today."

The Quinnipiac survey also indicates that while a majority of Americans oppose the health care plan, they back two options that were cut from the Senate bill. According to the poll, 56 percent support the option of getting coverage through a government health insurance plan, with 38 percent opposing the public option. And nearly two-thirds like the proposal to allow people as young as 55 to buy into the government run Medicare program, with three in ten opposed.

The Quinnipiac University poll was conducted December 15-20, with 1,616 registered voters from across the country questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus 2.4 percentage points.

soundoff(299 Responses)

One thing that isn't mentioned is that a lot of folkes are not supportive because this Heath care bill doesn't go far enough No public option or even better single payer

December 22, 2009 11:43 am at 11:43 am |

Ed Angell

I find it incomprehensable that the policial leaders in our this wonderful country of ours would past such a terrible bill with the 'pork'
all throughtout it. It shows 'we the people' are not really being represented but being 'railroaded' into added to our huge national
debt and helping just a few in the process. Living in a free society we are given the choice
to protect ourselfs with 'Health insurance' . Those that don't just
want to gamble. Let them! The government wants to run everones lives! Anyone who want health coverage 'can buy it now'! Is it always perfect? NO! But, you can't wait until your 'barn is on fire' before you
look for the buckets of water to put it out!.

December 22, 2009 11:43 am at 11:43 am |

Tom in VA

You do relaizethesepollsare VERY unscientific, right. All these poll-after-poll-after-poll indicate is that a group of people always havewild flucations in opinions.

A true leader does what'sright because it's right...not based onwhat the "tryanny of the majority" says from oneday to the next.

What we can glean from this is that fear-mongering and negativity works.

December 22, 2009 11:43 am at 11:43 am |

No longer a dem

True considering a third of the nation (republican base) out right opposes any reform and another third (democratic base) don't think this bill does anything... you have about 66% of Americans that think this senate bill should be killed. And it should be. Dems have the majority in this country, but we are forced to give concession to the minority party. Ridiculous! This is not change anyone can believe in... it's more of the same keeping the corporate status quo! Obama is a republican in sheep's clothing. We got fooled last year.

December 22, 2009 11:44 am at 11:44 am |

Marion

These poll results may not be as clear-cut as they appear. While a majority of people oppose this particular bill, majorities support a public option and an early Medicare buy-in, both things that Republicans oppose. In other words, there appear to be many people who think the current bill is too watered-down. The GOP may be in for a rude awakening if it thinks it can capitalize on that.

December 22, 2009 11:45 am at 11:45 am |

The Root Word of Progressive is Progress

Let's tell the rest of the story here. Many of those who disapprove are Progressives who don't think the legislation goes far enough. We absolutely DO NOT stand with the conserva-can'ts on this issue! I am one of those who doesn't believe it goes far enough, but it IS a start and it IS more than we could have expected or gotten from the Party of NO in a hundred more years! I'm willing to take what we can get at this point and keep working for more. Remember, Progressives stand for PROGRESS and sometimes progress comes one small step at a time!

December 22, 2009 11:46 am at 11:46 am |

No More Incumbents

The majority also oppose Reid, Pelosi, Dodd, Frank, et al.

Do you think any of them care?

December 22, 2009 11:46 am at 11:46 am |

Government Fixes health care prices.

Look at Medicare. The response is to off all things pay doctors and hosptials less for the elderly who have complicated medical problems that take more than just a mere 20 minutes. As a physician, we already have government control of health care. Every fee, cost, and bill that a doctor charges is based on the Centers for Medicare Services. They set the fee for what is charged to patients on Medicare. Private insurance then may "allow" a doctor to charge 100-120% of the Medicare rate. The cost of what we get paid by Medicare amounts to 80cents on the dollar. So in the bill, it clearly states Medicare reimbursement to health care providers is the cost cutting. That is the easy way out. It does not address the root problem. We are getting older as a society and with that comes more illness. On top of that, many people expect to live to 100 at all costs.

December 22, 2009 11:46 am at 11:46 am |

Mississippi Mrs.

Unbelievable that this no good very bad awful legislation passed.

Just like this weak President, remember at the end of the day... you got what you voted for. Soon the whining will start, when the uninformed realize what they have.

We are discouraged but beyond determined to DEFEAT every Democrat who voted for this. That we CAN DO!

December 22, 2009 11:47 am at 11:47 am |

Barb

No matter how many days or how many times you poll "we the people" we are not going to ever favor this Democrat lie of a bill. Next year will be very entertaining watching the Dems explain why they think they should keep their jobs, I bet the ads will be great, can't wait and I am counting down the days til the 2010 elections. This is totally their mess and have sole claim to it, you got to love that!

December 22, 2009 11:47 am at 11:47 am |

Jim

This poll is too ambiguous. People may not agree with everything in the current bill, but do they want no health care reform at all instead? I doubt that.

December 22, 2009 11:48 am at 11:48 am |

dan smith

The ship is sinking fast. Obama and the Democrats hit a big Iceberg.

December 22, 2009 11:48 am at 11:48 am |

Steve in Kentucky

Take a poll once the dust settles on this and I think you'll find something like 70 percent approval for health reform. And the Republicans will have to live with that one.

December 22, 2009 11:48 am at 11:48 am |

Patrick

How can those surveyed trust the GOP on Healthcare. The GOP has no healthcare plan – they want to gut Medicare and the would have the insurance companies fleece the American public.

Healthcare is a right and not a privledge!!

Go Healthcare Reform!!!!

December 22, 2009 11:48 am at 11:48 am |

Felipe

When does Congress care what Americans want anyway?

December 22, 2009 11:48 am at 11:48 am |

NVa Native

Vague poliing can come to any result desired.
Many Repubs (tea-baggers & neo-cons) are against the bill because they want the Pres & the US to fail for selfish and/or biggoted reasons.
Probably some liberals are against the bill because they don't like letting the party of "NO" integrity be a part of the good faith negotiations while the party of "NO" is not of "good faith", but rather of only deceptions and distractions.
For liberals & progressives it probably means that they want this bill to provide more reform and a public option.
CNN is corporate biased media, not as corrupt as Fox media, but clearly slanted for right-wing interests.

December 22, 2009 11:49 am at 11:49 am |

Ron Howerton

Why should Obama pay attention to the polls? Bush never did.

December 22, 2009 11:49 am at 11:49 am |

IKHAN

A Health Care Bill without a Public Option or expansion of Medicare for
55 yr old Americans , slashes in Medicare budget , no import of
inexpensive medicines for Americans & no checks on Insurance Co's for unbridled hike in premiums.

A win,win for big insurers & lobbies.

No, No!

December 22, 2009 11:49 am at 11:49 am |

Gee

This is absolutely sickening what is going on in the government these days.....bribing a public official is illegal and if someone in the private sector did what the senate is doing right now they would be put in jail!! The senate is using unabashed bribery to buy votes for the healthcare bill and Reid has absolutely no qualms of making it public!!! TALK ABOUT CORRUPTION IN THE GOVERNMENT!!!! WE NEED TO FIRE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE AND UNDO WHAT THEY ARE CRAMMING DOWN AMERICA'S THROAT!!!

December 22, 2009 11:49 am at 11:49 am |

Rickster

"Polls: Majority oppose heath care bill"

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Tuesday shows that 25% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty-six percent (46%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -21 That’s the lowest Approval Index rating yet recorded for this President.
_________________________________________________
Looks like the majority oppose Obama as well. What a colossal failure of a president he is.

December 22, 2009 11:50 am at 11:50 am |

RM

It's clear that President Obama and the Democrats have completely caved in to the Insurance Lobby and Big Pharma. This is a bad bill that's being forced down the throats of Americans at the same time that Insurance company stocks have reached a 52 week high.

Anyone see the connection?

President Obama: "Passivity we can believe in......"

December 22, 2009 11:50 am at 11:50 am |

Gerald

Heatth care reform will be when health care is the same for every one and not decided by lawyers. As a tax payer with health care the special deals for goverment workers and union folk are total BS, The democrats are trying fleece Americans and we know it.

I think people are tired of the fight. Once its over, they won't remember the fighting. The reason the Republicans are being such obstructionists about everything is because it wears out the liberal moderates. But there has never been a country that once they had health care wanted to give it up. Same with Social Security and Medicare. They might hate this fight, but they would never get rid of these other government programs.

December 22, 2009 11:51 am at 11:51 am |

Indy

Hard to believe polls. If this is true why did Obama win on the platform of passing healthcare reform. It is unfathomable as to why the average person would not want reform and I don't think the polls actually reflect the truth, as there cannot be a majority that are happy with one of the worst healthcare systems in the world.Logical thinking would tell us that the majority want and need healthcare and the opposite of that will bankrupt the middle class America which will bankrupt America